A new fence has replaced the “construction zone décor” in the southwest corner of the campus. Now that Wakea and Ala Kahawai Streets have been completed on two sides of the campus, a permanent fence has been installed.

Parents and friends of the school responded generously in May and June to the appeal for funds to help the school finance this project. Over $36,000 was raised. Among the 87 donors, some 50 individuals donated one or more whole sections of the fence, at $500 each. The IPA Parents Association launched the fund drive by donating eight sections, and the Class of 2011 funded four sections as their class gift. Parents of two elementary homerooms also banded together to purchase sections in honor of teachers.

Phase one of the project, which included fencing the exterior sides of the playing field, was completed just as the 2011-2012 school year began. A second phase will extend the fence along the portions of the parking lot that front Wakea and Ala Kahawai. Those portions must wait until ground work has been completed by contractors on the sidewalk side of the school boundary. The school has the fence sections waiting for the green light.

“The new fence makes the campus seem bigger somehow,” remarked one parent when the old construction fence came down. Indeed, the fence improves the campus in many ways. The school is very grateful to all those who responded with a donation to enable the school to complete this much-needed project. Donor acknowledgement plates will be affixed to the fence sections in the near future.

Our thanks, as well, to Nordic PCL Construction for donating the materials, and to employees of the company for volunteering their time, to construct the temporary fence that helped keep students safe (and balls confined to the campus) during the street construction. Although Nordic was not the company paving the streets, they heard about our need for a more substantial temporary fence, and responded generously.